DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 15-17, 30, 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eberherdt et al. (2003/0222236) in view of Frisch et al. (5,343,894), official notice and Fujii et al. (2013/0140156).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Eberhardt teaches a micro-valve system and printhead comprising:
a orifice plate (fig. 7, item 11A) including a nozzle (fig. 7, item 45);
a fluid plenum (col. 7, item 3) configured to have an internal pressure that is higher than an outside pressure during operation ([0034]); and
a cantilevered beam (fig. 7, item 7) coupled in spaced relation to the orifice plate (see fig. 7) and moveable between positions where the orifice plate is closed and opened by the cantilevered beam (fig. 7, note arrow 47), wherein:
the cantilevered beam comprises one or more piezoelectric layers ([0019]),
the cantilevered beam is configured to move to an up position (fig. 7, position spaced away from valve seat 44) that opens the nozzle and thereby causes fluid to flow around an end of the cantilevered beam, straight through the nozzle out of the nozzle (see fig. 7),
wherein the nozzle has a linear flow path without bends along its entire length or wherein the cantilevered beam is bent toward the orifice plate in the down position and no mechanical force external
a volume of a drop of fluid that is ejected from the nozzle is a function off an amount of time that the nozzle is open (Note that this limitation is necessarily met).
Eberhardt generally contemplates that either the open or closed states can be attained by applying an electrical signal to the piezoelectric element, but Eberhardt does not expressly disclose causing the open state when one or more electrical signals are applied to the one or more piezoelectric layers of the cantilevered beam or
Alternatively, Frisch teaches wherein a piezoelectric valve moves from the closed to the open state upon application of an electrical signal and remains in the closed state, bent toward a nozzle, when no signal is applied (Frisch, see figs. 1, 2, col. 3, lines 14-51). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to make the default position, when no electrical signal is provided, of Ebehardt’s valve a closed position, as disclosed by Frisch, because doing so would amount to a simple application of a default piezoelectric valve positioning to a known valve type to yield predictable results.
Frisch can also be said to teach a support layer and a biasing layer disposed on the support layer (Frisch, see fig. 1, Note that either of layers 10, 11 can be said to support or bias the cantilevered beam. Note also that “support” and “bias” have not been distinguished by any further specifics about how the layers operate). Further, the thickness of all layers are necessarily selected such that the electrically dead position in Frisch, Figure 1 is achieved when no electrical signal and no mechanical force external to the cantilevered beam is applied (Frisch, see figs. 1, 2, col. 3, lines 14-51). That is, the device could only function properly if the thicknesses of all layers of the device were specifically selected to obtain the position of the beam in Figure 1 when no signal was provided. And thus, as shown in Figure 1, the cantilevered beam is mechanically biased to bend toward the orifice plate in a down position that closes the nozzle (Frisch, see fig. 1).
While it is maintained by Examiner that the previously asserted prior art combination teaches all of the limitations of the amended claims inherently or expressly, Fujii is now incorporated for express teachings of selecting thicknesses of oxide layers in piezoelectric cantilevered beams specifically to facilitate certain amounts of bend or curvature in those beams (Fujii, [0122], see fig. 5, Note that if the supporting layer is taken to be either of L22 or L3, and biasing layer is taken to be L21, the disclosure states that the thickness of biasing oxide layer L21 dictates the curvature of the of the beam. Further, note that the thicknesses of all of the layers of the piezoelectric element of Fujii is selected deliberately). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select a specific thickness for a biasing layer, as disclosed by Fujii, to achieve the specific curvature of the cantilevered beam disclosed by Frisch, because doing so would amount to the simple substitution of one known technique, layer thickness selection, for another, beam prestressing, to achieve the downward bend of the cantilevered beam disclosed by Frisch.
Note that Examiner understands that Fujii is not directed to a micro-valve system, but Examiner maintains that such piezoelectric transducers were employed in any number of technologies, and thus the thickness selection technique disclosed by Fujii would have been applicable to any number of technologies. Further, Fujii is being incorporated only for a teaching of selecting thicknesses of layers to achieve certain beam curvatures.
Regarding claims 3 and 17, Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii teaches the micro-valve system and printhead of claims 1 and 15, respectively, wherein the cantilevered beam at a proximal end of the cantilevered beam is coupled to the orifice plate and the cantilevered beam at a distal end of the cantilevered beam is moveable between positions where the nozzle is closed and opened (Eberhardt, see fig. 7, Note that, as defined above, all limitations are met).
Regarding claim 16, Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii teaches the printhead of claim 15,
wherein at least one cantilevered beam includes a pair of piezoelectric layers (Eberhardt, [0019])) that are spaced from each other and spaced from the orifice plate (Eberhardt, see fig. 7, Note that the piezoelectric layers of the cantilevered beam are necessarily spaced from each other),
wherein the cantilevered beam is responsive to application of a first electrical signal to one of the pair of piezoelectric layers to bend from the starting position adjacent the orifice plate away from the orifice plate and termination of the first electrical signal and application of a second electrical signal to the other of the pair of piezoelectric layers to return back to the starting position adjacent the orifice plate (Eberhardt, [0024], Note that the claimed limitation is just how such a piezoelectric transducer normally works).
Regarding claim 28, Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii teaches the printhead of claim 1, wherein the cantilevered beam comprises a plurality of layers (Eberhardt, [0019], Frisch, col. 3, lines 14-17), wherein the mechanical bias is provided based on at least one of the plurality of layers being in a stressed state (Frisch, col. 2, lines 24-50).
Regarding claim 30, Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii teaches the printhead of claim 1, wherein the cantilevered beam is mechanically biased toward the orifice plate when in the down position that occurs when the one or more electrical signals are not applied (Eberhardt, [0024], Frisch, col. 2, lines 24-50).
Regarding claim 31, Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii teaches the printhead of claim 1, wherein the cantilevered beam is mechanically biased toward the orifice plate when the fluid plenum is empty (Eberhardt, [0024], Frisch, col. 2, lines 24-50, Note that the beam is always biased toward the orifice plate when no signal is applied. It is not exactly clear how the amount of fluid in the plenum would impact whether the valve was in an open or closed position).
Claim(s) 10, 11 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Marcus (2011/0073788).
Regarding claim 10 Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii teaches the micro-valve system of claim 1. Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii does not teach a plurality of nozzles. Marcus teaches
a plurality of nozzles (Marcus, [0008], note that a nozzle array is discussed) in the orifice plate (Marcus, [0008]); and
a plurality of the cantilevered beams disposed in spaced relation to the orifice plate,
wherein each cantilevered beam is moveable between positions where one of the plurality of nozzles is closed and opened by said cantilevered beam (Marcus, [0008], note that a nozzle array is discussed and that printing would require selective activation of beams). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to apply the piezoelectric valve structure and operation disclosed by Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii to a plurality of nozzles, as disclosed by Marcus, because doing so would amount to combining a known nozzle plurality structure with a known type of valve to obtain predictable results.
Regarding claims 11 and 26, Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice, Fujii and Marcus teaches the micro-valve system and printhead of claims 10 and 17, respectively, wherein the plurality of cantilevered beams is arranged side-by-side, interdigitated, or in an x, y array (Marcus, [0008], Note that a “nozzle array” would require that the beams be side-by-side or interdigitated).
Claim(s) 29 and 32-36 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Aoki et al. (2009/0091215).
Regarding claims 29 and 32-36, Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii does not teach specific layers and frequencies. Aoki teaches a cantilevered piezoelectric transducer with an oxide layer, a zirconium oxide barrier layer, wherein a thickness of one of the piezoelectric layers dictates a bending characteristic of the cantilevered beam and wherein the piezoelectric actuator is operated at a frequency greater than 10 kHz (Aoki, [0016], [0115]-[0117], Table 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a piezoelectric structure of the type disclose by Aoki in the device disclosed by Eberhardt in view of Frisch, official notice and Fujii because doing so would amount to combining a known piezoelectric actuator structure with a known piezoelectric valve structure to obtain predictable results. In other words, because Eberhardt in view of Frisch and official notice does not go into much detail about the exact materials and layer structure of its cantilevered beam, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to look to Aoki for such specifics.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 15 have been considered but are moot in light of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
